Smartphones have altered the texture of everyday life, digesting many longstanding spaces and rituals, and transforming others beyond recognition.
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David Bowie, 1947-2016
The legendary musician died on Sunday of cancer. At the Awl, Alex Balk writes: “If you are under the age of 40 you live in a world he helped make, whether you’re aware of it or not. His importance transcends his work in a way that only a few other artists of his generation can […]
Into the World of Mushrooms: A Reading List
In the following five pieces, you’ll meet foragers, hikers, researchers, anthropologists, drug dealers and puppies.
The Early Roots of Surgery
The first recorded cases of cancer show how the Ancient Egyptians used cauterisation (using red-hot instruments to burn off tissue and seal off wounds) to destroy tumours and to treat a variety of infections, diseases and bleeding lesions. Until the mid-18th century, surgery was the only effective option for addressing several conditions. But it was […]
Getting Out the Message To Save Himself
In Don Waters’ short story “Full of Days,” a grieving Las Vegas man uses an anti-abortion billboard to justify his own pained existence.
The Admission
Stacy Torres recalls the mixture of frustration and relief that came with checking herself into a New York City psych ward at the age of 20.
Into the World of Mushrooms: A Reading List
In the following five pieces, you’ll meet foragers, hikers, researchers, anthropologists, drug dealers and puppies.
Modern Grief: Digital Ephemera and Coping with Loss
Nancy Westaway explores the nuances of grief in our digital society — how our tweets and emails can comfort our loved ones after we’re gone.
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
The best stories of the week, as chosen by the editors of Longreads.

